A survey was conducted within the IPA-funded SEE Digi.TV project to research the possibilities of use of the digital dividend in the Republic of Croatia. The survey was conducted by Deloitte. The conclusions of the survey indicate that the use of the allocated digital dividend will have a minimal direct (positive) impact on the growth of the GDP, closely related to the trend of mobile broadband services penetration.

A broad spectrum of impact factors does not ensure a direct comparison of the impact of the allocation with other countries, but expectations are directed to indirect benefits of the use of digital dividend in accordance with the EC recommendations. Their meaning will depend on the future development of the media and telecommunications market in the Republic of Croatia.

The survey on the Possibilities of digital dividend use can be downloaded here.

The 3rd and final international conference of the SEE Digi.TV project took place on 17-18 April 2013, in Budapest, Hungary. The conference was hosted by the Hungarian partner IVSZ.

Stakeholders from the South East Europe, representatives of project partners and their guests, were provided with an opportunity for discussions on the current challenges and best practices associated with digitalisation of television, implementation of the digitalisation process, reducing the digital gap and harmonization of the use of the digital dividend.

In the frame of the conference the panellists discussed four main topics: connected TV, copyright issues associated with broadcasting in the globalising media environment, the importance of digital receivers’ specifications in the digital switchover process and the digital switchover promotion campaign related experiences and techniques.
In conclusion, conference participants agreed that the digitalisation process is accompanied by a large number of effects for which each country should prepare individually, and the effects of such occurrences will vary depending on different features of the region and the country.

In the course of the project implementation, the SEE Digi.TV project partners met several times, exchanged practices and knowledge and worked on the harmonisation of the digital switchover process in the project area. During the two-day conference, the participants had the opportunity to get more information about the results of cooperation and project deliverables.

A survey has been carried out to check the possibilities of introducing new Pay TV services in the Republic of Croatia. The survey has been conducted within the scope of the SEE Digi.TV project financed under the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). For analysis purposes, the AGB Nielsen Media Research Company conducted the survey on a sample of 4614 households during 2012. The survey findings have shown that the Pay TV services market has a potential for growth in Croatia; the IPTV platform is predominant; domestic national TV channels are the most viewed, while foreign localised TV channels are continually recording a growing ratings trend.

The supply of multi-channel platforms in Croatia is at the level of the most developed markets, and following the introduction of the terrestrial Pay TV (DVB-T2) it can be considered as being among the best in the region. A high number of foreign channels on all distributive platforms have been translated into Croatian. At the same time, a rise in the number of Croatian thematic channels distributed to subscribers in the region (Croatian Music Channel, Klasik TV, Cinestar TV) has also been observed.

Survey of possibilities of introducing new Pay TV services is available here.

Zagreb, 1 February 2013 – Survey “ Public awareness about digitalisation in the Republic Croatia”

A survey was conducted with the scope of analysing public awareness on digitalisation in Croatia under SEE Digi.TV, an EU-funded project under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). The survey was conducted by IPSOS PULS using the CATI-based survey methodology on a sample of 1021 Croatian citizens interviewed in December 2012. The conclusions of the survey have shown that the level of public awareness about digitalization is still relatively low and that most respondents indicated low level of satisfaction regarding the quality and quantity of FTA channels. The survey results also point to a modest penetration of TV screens with advanced technologies (plasma, LCD, LED) in Croatian households, with no less than 66% of households still using “old type screens” TV sets.

The survey entitled “Public awareness about digitalisation in the Republic Croatia” is available here.

Zagreb, 13 December 2012 - The study “The Possibilities of Use of Digital Dividend in the Republic of Croatia”

One of the activities of the SEE Digi.TV Project includes the drafting of a study on the possibilities of use of the digital dividend, which has been prepared by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), University of Zagreb. The study identities the possibilities of an equitable access to the spectrum freed up by the switch-off of the analogue television and by the switch-over to the digital television. With the aim to enable the enhancement of the existing and the development of new services for all interested market players, the study shows the current situation in the market, and introduces the purpose and the present use of the radio-frequency spectrum. The study also evaluates the “quantity” of the digital dividend in the Republic of Croatia, and gives an overview of technologies and services which can be used in the digital dividend spectrum. The study entitled “The Possibilities of Use of Digital Dividend in the Republic of Croatia” is available here.

Zagreb, 4 December 2012 – SEE Digi.TV Project holds workshop on digital television

A workshop on digital television was held at Hotel Dubrovnik, Zagreb, on 4 December 2012. The workshop was organised by the Croatian Post and Electronic Communications Agency (HAKOM) and the Electronic Media Agency (AEM), under the transnational project of “Digital Television in South East Europe – SEE Digi.TV”, financed under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA).

The workshop has been organised for the Croatian market stakeholders with the aim of raising awareness about the switch-over to digital television and the possibilities opening through the use of the freed spectrum share, the so-called digital dividend, which can contribute to the improvement of the existing and the introduction of new services and have a positive effect on the reduction of the digital divide.

The representatives of the Slovenian Post and Electronic Communications Agency (APEK), Project Lead Partner, and the representatives of HAKOM and AEM, Croatian Project Partners, presented the SEE Digi.TV project in their introductory address. (SEE.Digi TVprojekt_radionica20121204.pdf)

The topics discussed during the panels comprised the possibility of use of the digital dividend in Croatia, platforms for the distribution of TV channels and the future of pay TV in Croatia, as well the regulation of television using the system of concessions and technical neutrality.

The workshop was held with the following agenda:

Panel 1: Possibilities of use of digital dividend in the Republic of Croatia (HAKOM, AEM and FER)

Workshop participants included the representatives of broadcasters, different ministries and the university.

Thirteen partners from ten countries in the region and one strategic partner and observer participate in the project implementation. Project partners are mainly regulatory authorities responsible for the regulation of the markets of electronic communications and electronic media in their respective countries or other institutions active in the area of information and communication services: Albania (NCRT), Austria (RTR), Bosnia and Herzegovina (CRA), Montenegro (AEM and EKIP), Croatia (HAKOM and AEM), Italy (Informest and AGCOM), Hungary (IVSZ), Macedonia (SRD), Slovenia (APEK and Sintesio) and Serbia (RBA).

As a result of project activities from the SEE Digi.TV project the Croatian Post and Electronic Communications Agency and the Agency for Electronic Media have prepared an article. It contains information about the implementation of project activities and project results, digital television and digital dividend in Croatia and the future project activities. For more information please read the article.

Zagreb, 25 October 2012 – SEE Digi.TV Second Transnational Conference held

The 2nd Transnational Conference of the SEE Digi.TV project, which is financed from the ERDF for EU Member States and from the pre-accession programme IPA for non-member states, was organized by the Slovenian regulatory authority for post and electronic communications – APEK on 18 and 19 October 2012 in Ljubljana. Representatives of regulatory authorities from ten countries and their distinguished guests gathered for the second time to identify the best practice for digital broadcasting switchover, for the digitalization process, for the reduction of the digital divide and for the coordinated use of the digital dividend.

Participants at the conference, the SEE Digi.TV project partners from Slovenia (APEK and Sintesio), Italy (Informest, AGCOM, Austria (RTR), Hungary (IVSZ), Bosnia and Herzegovina (CRA), Serbia (RBA), Montenegro (AEM and EKIP), Macedonia (SRD), Albania (NCRT) and Croatia (HAKOM and AEM), together with stakeholders on the broadcasting and ICT markets, had the opportunity to exchange their experiences about problems and opportunities related to the digitalization of television broadcasting and to hear about the latest trends from some of the most distinguished experts in the field.

The two-day conference offered interesting panel discussions to more than eighty participants. The topics of discussions included the following: Digital Divide – Social inequalities in access to, use of and knowledge of ICT, Digital Dividend – Awarding the digital dividend in a way to make the best use of it for society, Future Development of Digital Terrestrial Television – Current role and future potential of terrestrial television, and Other Digital Platforms – state of play: Regional market specifics and changing roles of market players.

Participants in panel discussions included, among others, representatives from the line ministries of countries in the region, from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), from the Association of Commercial Televisions (ACT), from television stations, communications networks operators and representatives from the academic community.

It was concluded at the gathering that the digitalization process brings about many other issues that require special preparation of each individual country and impacts of these issues will depend on peculiarities of a region and a country. The SEE Digi.TV project is very useful for all participants because active and continuous exchange of ideas and experiences helps raise the level of awareness about all positive and negative impacts of market digitalization on markets and individual social groups.
The next international conference will be organized in Budapest in April 2013.

The SEE Digi.TV project is implemented through activities divided in work packages through which project partners share their knowledge and experiences to make the process of the analogue to digital television broadcasting switch-over in the South East European region simpler and more efficient and to assess the possibility of a cost-effective use of the digital dividend and to minimise digital divide.

Under the Legal Framework work package (http://www.see-digi.tv/documentation/wp3-legal-framework/) the Analysis of existing legal framework and Elaboration of regional guidelines have been prepared. The documents contain a comparative legal analysis of the legal framework for the switch-over from analogue to digital broadcasting in the participating countries, and guidelines have been given for the development of the existing legal framework for the digitalization process. Another document prepared as a result of the work on the project includes Elaboration of funding framework Guidelines on financing for the switch-over to digital broadcasting providing instructions for the development of the legal framework for financing the digitalization process in the participating countries.

Under the Technical Framework work package (http://www.see-digi.tv/documentation/wp4-technical-framework/) the Assessment of the Technical framework was prepared which describes the existing available technologies for digital terrestrial broadcasting of television and sound and their existing application in the participating countries. The SEE strategic roadmap to digitalization was prepared which provides an overview of the existing situation of digitalization by participating country and a Strategic Roadmap for possible technology deployments of digital television. Also, documents were developed providing guidelines and assitance in developing receiver specifications and conformance test specifications.

Under the Economic Framework work package (http://www.see-digi.tv/documentation/wp5-economic-framework/) the results comprise an overview of relevant EU documents, the Analysis of National A/D Switchover Strategies and Regional Guidelines for A/D Switchover Strategies, which serve as a basis for further development of digitalization in the region.

The Communication Plan was prepared for the purpose of raising awareness and informing the public about the project and project results, and two leaflets and a CD/DVD with information about the project and results achieved so far were prepared and distributed.

The First Digi.TV Transnational Conference was held in Trieste, Italy, on 19 and 20 April 2012. The event was organised by Informest, in cooperation with the Italian Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Media (Agcom), the Regional Communication Committee of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Corecom FVG) and the whole Digi.TV partnership. The topics of the panels at the conference included the issues of digital dividend, the licencig procedure, legal issues, raising public awareness in relation to the switch-over to digital television, and DVB-T2 standard and DTT platform – challenges and opportunities.

The Second Meeting of the Executive Board of the SEE Digi.TV Project was held in Skopje, Macedonia. Broadcasting Council of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia hosted this meeting held on 5 and 6 June 2012. The topic of the meeting included the progress of the project during the third reporting period, assessments and guidelines resulting from the work packages as well as national seminars and one international conference which took place from the last project meeting.

The 7th SEE Digi.TV Project Meeting was held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The meeting was organised on 13 and 14 September 2012 by BiH project partner, the Communications Regulatory Agency of BiH. The organisation of the Second Transnational Conference was announced, which will be held on 18 and 19 October in Ljubljana, Slovenia, as well as the implementation of the forthcoming activities within work packages.

Zagreb, 19 March 2012Electronic Media Agency and Croatian Post and Electronic Communications Agency sign Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of the “South-East European Digital Television – SEE Digi.TV” project

19 March 2012 – Representatives of the Electronic Media Agency (AEM) and the Croatian Post and Electronic Communications Agency (HAKOM) signed today the Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of the “South-East European Digital Television – SEE Digi.TV”. The scope of the Memorandum of Understanding is cooperation between AEM and HAKOM during the implementation of the “South-East European Digital Television” project in accordance with the Partnership Agreement for the project implementation within the South East Europe Transnational Cooperation Programme (South East Europe – SEE).

The second Steering Committee meeting and the second project partners’ technical meeting on the “South-East European Digitial Television” - SEE Digi.TV project were held in Zagreb on 20 and 21 February 2012. The project is co-financed by the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA). (Press release)

Zagreb, 28 December 2011HAKOM signs Grant Contract for South-East European digital Television – SEE Digi.TV Project

The Croatian Post and Electronic Communications Agency (HAKOM) signed on 28 December 2011 a grant contract awarded by the Agency for Regional Development of the Republic of Croatia for the implementation of the project entitled: “South-East European Digital Television – SEE Digi.TV”. The total value of the project is EUR 1,987,230.50, of which EUR 140,959.97 is allocated to HAKOM and the Electronic Media Agency (AEM) for their joint implementation of the project in Croatia. EU contribution of 85 percent is financed from the Instrument for pre-accession assistance fund (IPA) and national co-financing from HAKOM and AEM is 15 percent. The project’s duration is 16 months. (VL-ZP-PO-INTS-SEE_Digi.TV_potpisivanje_en-v.2.0)